Absorbent articles such as paper diapers (disposable diapers) (for infants and adults), sanitary napkins, incontinence articles, training pants or the like are articles that absorb bodily fluids, such as urine excreted from a wearer, by means of an absorber that makes use of a super absorbent polymer (hereinafter referred to as an “SAP”), fluffy pulp or the like.
In conventional absorbent articles, excreted bodily fluid is directly excreted onto the surface of an absorber from the excretory organ and is absorbed into the absorber and fixed thereat through diffusion over the surface of the absorber and transfer from the surface of the absorber to the inside of the absorber. Accordingly, it is necessary to closely attach the absorbent article to the wearer's body so that no gap is formed and to closely attach the surface of the absorber to the wearer's skin, in particular the excretory organ, in order to prevent leakage of bodily fluids from the absorbent article to the exterior.
In order to use such conventional absorbent articles efficiently by fully utilizing the absorption capacity possessed by such absorbent articles, instead of changing the absorbent article each time bodily fluids are excreted, it is necessary to use the absorbent article multiple times, without changing the same even when the bodily fluids are excreted for the first time, so as to continue using the same for the second and/or subsequent excretions of bodily fluids.
However, when the absorbent article is used multiple times, the wearer is inevitably kept in a condition where the skin and the surface of the absorber, which is wet from the bodily fluids, are closely attached over an extended period of time. Such condition where the bodily fluids make contact with the wearer's skin over an extended period of time is not only unpleasant for the wearer but also swells the skin and becomes a cause for bacterial growth that leads to rashes and inflammation.
To remedy the problems associated with the use of such conventional absorbent articles, efforts have been made such as using an air permeable back sheet, improving the surface sheet or the like; however, the actual situation is that, in the end, even when there is still sufficient absorption capacity remaining, the wet condition of the absorber surface is sensed, and the occurrence of skin troubles is avoided by changing to a new absorbent article. For example, with diapers for infants, it is said that an average of only approximately 40% of the absorption capacity is utilized.